(Now bear with me those of you already in the Master Gardener program; this is for those folks that may have concerns about joining a group with seemingly frightening expectations!)
When I first moved to this area, my daughter-in law thought I should join the Master Gardener program. After all, she knew I loved puttering in the soil and I could meet lots of like-minded people. What she did not know was that I was TERRIFIED of this group! Because of that one word, “Master,” I thought you had to be proficient in all aspects of gardening in order to join Master Gardeners.
For me the word “Master” of anything seems very daunting and I knew little more than that plants grew in soil and required water on occasion. Let me assure you, if the name of the group was “People Gathering to Learn & Share Gardening Info” (because that’s exactly what this program is), I would have been first in line to join.
When the program first started, back in 1973, the goal was to train individuals in the art and science of gardening, then continue as volunteers, advising and educating the public on gardening and horticulture, as well as maintaining some public gardens. Perhaps the thinking was that they would indeed be “masters” of gardening and hence the title of the program. Bless their little hearts — they used the one word that fit their goal of “having or showing great skill or proficiency”: MASTER!
Luckily, what all of this truly means is that if you’re attending a monthly class and have a desire to garden on some level, you’re bound to retain that knowledge and eventually will share that with someone else. What I’ve also realized is that the most useful tool Master Gardeners have is how to find fact-based answers to the questions people ask. After all, this is gardening and we all know Mother Nature is the true Master — we’re just there as helpers.
This is the time of the year that Master Gardener groups everywhere are encouraging people to join in the ongoing educational process of gardening. Hopefully you saw the Nov. 3 article in Columbia Gorge News that goes into more detail about the program offerings; if not, you can find it online at www.columbiagorgenews.com/hoodriver/become-a-master-gardener-in-2022/article_3396e73a-3bfe-11ec-bb98-73c101abb3f6.html. There are lots of options this year for both online and in-person participation and our program director, Megan Wickersham, has some incredible speakers lined up. You can find an application online at blogs.oregonstate.edu/cgmga, or you may contact Wickersham directly at megan.wickersham@oregonstate.edu; 541-386-3343. The fee for the initial year-long program is $150 and includes a huge Sustainable Gardening Handbook, which you will refer to for years to come, as well as all classes. Scholarships may be available if you find the fee prohibitive.
Ultimately, my daughter-in-law was right — she knows me well. Not only have I learned a tremendous amount about gardening at any level, I’ve met and enjoy the company of so many terrific people! I truly cannot encourage you enough to take advantage of this great opportunity to either start your gardening education or expand on it. Don’t think this program is only for those gardeners with lofty goals — maybe you just want to grow some tomatoes for your table or sunflowers, so that you can take your friends a bouquet now and then. I can assure you, once you start learning what the soil has to offer, it’s hard not to think about the possibilities.
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